Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bull Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bull Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $836 in Bull Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,248 in Bull Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,660 in Bull Bay, rent included.

Phuket costs about 51% more than Bull Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Bull Bay are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Bull Bay 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$7.32 JMD 1,151

-37.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$61.7 JMD 9,705

-24.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$6.28 JMD 987

34.87%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.54 JMD 242

96.75%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.92 JMD 145

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.72 JMD 113

-48.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.44 JMD 383

2.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.47 JMD 389

48.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$4.35 JMD 684

-49.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$3.27 JMD 514

-41.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.28 JMD 202

71.88%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$3.45 JMD 542

-35.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$4.94 JMD 778

304.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.24 JMD 981

-41.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$3.80 JMD 597

248.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.87 JMD 294

72.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.84 JMD 290

-7.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.17 JMD 342

10.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.90 JMD 142

131.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.99 JMD 155

60.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.55 JMD 244

-4.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.15 JMD 181

-10.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.97 JMD 153

-46.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$3.73 JMD 586

13.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$3.83 JMD 602

390.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$2.31 JMD 364

-23.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.45 JMD 385

12.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.98 JMD 154

38.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.90 JMD 142

248.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$3.10 JMD 487

-66.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$6.37 JMD 1,001

116.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.22 JMD 192

9.84%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$43.0K JMD 6.8M

-35.69%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$33.9K JMD 5.3M

0.02%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$124 ฿4,025

$111 JMD 17.5K

11.04%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.52 ฿440

$22.31 JMD 3,509

-39.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$19.00 JMD 2,988

-1.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$31.08 JMD 4,887

98.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$13.18 JMD 2,073

-30.65%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$703 ฿22.9K

$229 JMD 36.1K

206.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$2,494 JMD 392.3K

536.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$25.86 JMD 4,067

129.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$25.84 JMD 4,065

35.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$70.7 JMD 11.1K

62.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$76.7 JMD 12.1K

9.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$220 JMD 34.5K

181.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$159 JMD 25.1K

171.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

9.15

-41.75%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bull Bay: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $220 in Bull Bay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $62.0 in Bull Bay. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $233 in Bull Bay – so Bull Bay wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Phuket vs Bull Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,261 in Phuket, $836 in Bull Bay – roughly 51% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,255 in Bull Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bull Bay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Phuket and $836 in Bull Bay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $703 per month in Phuket and $229 in Bull Bay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bull Bay, where all-in costs run around $836, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Bull Bay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $836 in Bull Bay to $1,261 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bull Bay. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.